Page 78 of Dreams
Her dad bought her a ticket for later that day before he hugged her once more and left, a sadness still weighing down his shoulders.
* * *
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mack was pacing back and forth at the foot of the bed.
He’d shown up early, not like Josh had actually been asleep. There hadn’t been much of that as the events of the day before kept him restless. Mack was Josh’s only teammate he’d agreed to see. Carter, Zak, and Olle all stopped by a few times, but he couldn’t be around them. Not now.
“You can’t be done.” Mack kept moving and looked over at his friend. His roommate. His favorite line-mate.
“Will you just stop?” Josh snapped. He couldn’t be the one to get this through Mack’s thick skull.
“But, we have so much more to do.” Mack stopped moving. “You and me. We’re going to light this league up. Coach finally put us together, and I’ve never felt better out there.”
“Well, I’m sorry for you.” Josh would admit it, he was feeling bitter and Mack wasn’t making it any better.
“Josher,” he ran a hand through his hair and looked away sadly. “I didn’t mean-”
“Can you just leave?” Josh asked, cutting him off. “Please.”
Mack sighed loudly and looked at Josh once more before hanging his head. “I’ll come back later.”
“Don’t. I’ll be out of here today.”
“Okay, see you at the apartment?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Mack left, and Josh hated that he was relieved. He couldn’t be around any of his teammates right now. There was only one person he did want to be around.
When his call went unanswered, he sent her a short text.
I need to see you.
He didn’t know how long he stared at his phone, waiting for a response that wouldn’t come. He knew why she was avoiding him, but that didn’t make it any easier.
A part of him wanted to give up on her. He’d seen her through everything, and she was gone when he needed her the most. But, the other part of him knew that was unfair. She had deep scars that were probably being torn open right about now.
He suddenly found himself wishing she knew what she meant to him. Wishing he’d told her, especially if this was it for them.
Could she go through this again?
He selfishly wanted her to love him and no one else, knowing full well that a part of her died with Danny. Closing his eyes, he pictured her face - eyes smiling behind her glasses.
The doctor came in around lunch time.
“Hey, Josh,” she smiled. “How are you today?”
“Just wonderful,” he groused. “I don’t know why I had to stay all night.”
“Just keeping an eye on you.” Dr. Johnson tucked a strand of blond hair behind her ear and looked him in the eye. “I’ll cut to the chase here. I’m off your case. It seems that a…” she glanced at her papers. “Dr. Walker has requested your records. Relation to you?”
“That would be my father,” he sighed. Of course he’d want to oversee it himself.
“I just need you to sign these forms so we can send the records and get you discharged.” He took the clipboard and pen from her and scrawled his name on each form she’d marked before handing them back.
“Thank you. You are good to go.” She stuck out her hand, and he took it. “I hope it all works out.”
“Thanks, Doctor.”
